2023 - Train update and amendment log - Swindon <-> Westbury

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:08

16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:08 will be starting late from Westbury and is expected to be 12 minutes late.
This is due to a fault on this train.

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 is being delayed between Stroud and Kemble and is now expected to be 32 minutes late.
This is due to a fault occurring when attaching a part of this train.

[grahame]

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07 has been reinstated.

It will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Romsey and Southampton Central.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

14:22 Frome to Swindon due 15:33
15:44 Swindon to Frome due 16:38
16:43 Frome to Swindon due 17:34
18:27 Frome to Swindon due 19:33

18:27 Frome to Swindon due 19:33 will be started from Westbury.
It will no longer call at Frome.
This is due to a points failure.

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

[grahame]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.

Expanded

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 2.

Real Time Trains shows it to be operated by an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train).  You would have thought it could carry on as far as Westbury, wouldn't you?

[bobm]

Driver’s hours to get it back to Stoke Gifford I suspect.

[brooklea]

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07 will be terminated at Swindon.
It will no longer call at Chippenham, Melksham, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time.
Will be formed of 5 coaches instead of 2.

Real Time Trains shows it to be operated by an IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train).  You would have thought it could carry on as far as Westbury, wouldn't you?

Driver’s hours to get it back to Stoke Gifford I suspect.

Appears to have carried on from Swindon to Paddington as the 18:40 (which should have started from Weston-super-Mare, and then formed the 19:53 to Hereford, so the TransWilts’ loss ended up being the North Cotswolds’ gain.

[grahame]

21:16 Westbury to Swindon due 21:58
22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11

22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07

17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:07 will be started from Swindon.
It will no longer call at Gloucester, Stonehouse, Stroud and Kemble.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

[grahame]

22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11

22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Additional Information
Road transport in place.
2 X MPVs will depart Westbury for Chippenham at 2120. Supplied by Bath Taxis.
2 X MPVs will depart Swindon for Westbury at 2230. Supplied by Bath Taxis.

Should be fun.    Swindon Town are playing at home this evening to Forest Green Rovers and I would have expected a LOT of Swindon fans to travel  up from Melksham for the match.  How many does an MPV take?

[grahame]

22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11

22:30 Swindon to Westbury due 23:11 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

Additional Information
Road transport in place.
2 X MPVs will depart Westbury for Chippenham at 2120. Supplied by Bath Taxis.
2 X MPVs will depart Swindon for Westbury at 2230. Supplied by Bath Taxis.

Should be fun.    Swindon Town are playing at home this evening to Forest Green Rovers and I would have expected a LOT of Swindon fans to travel  up from Melksham for the match.  How many does an MPV take?

Reports getting to me are that it didn't work ...

had too arrange a lift or people had to pay their taxis home

and

There was no one at Chippenham station. They all left at 10pm apparently

From time to time trains get cancelled, yes, of course, and we know that.  But:

1a. It happens far too often and
1b. It seems far too often to be a train which is NOT followed by an alternative service

2a. Alternative provision is hit and miss
2b. Information about alternative provision does not seem to reach the customers who need it.

Not a new story - hopefully one GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) can deal with better in 2024

Suggestion - Dear Control, for 2024 if Swindon Town have an evening fixture at home, please do NOT cancel the one and only train back to Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury after the game.     I do know that Swindon Town has some super fans, and some staff at Control may be amongst their numbers  - so I'm sure the occurrence of this match isn't exactly a surprise to the people who are making difficult decisions when they haven't got enough staff or enough trains ...

[grahame]

21:10 Swindon to Westbury due 21:52

21:10 Swindon to Westbury due 21:52 will be cancelled.
This is due to a shortage of train crew.

At least Swindon Town are not playing at home ..

[GBM]

Cancellations to services at Swindon
Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident at Swindon all lines are blocked.
Train services running through this station may be cancelled, delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 16:00 30/12.
Customer Advice
We are sorry for the delay to your journey today.


Can you tell me more about the incident?
It is with great sadness that we report a person has been struck by a train, leading to all lines being blocked. It is necessary to bring all trains in the affected area to an immediate stop. Where we can, we will divert trains to run on other lines around the affected area.

If you are onboard one of the services in this incident and are distressed by events, please do speak to a member of Train Crew for assistance. Alternatively, if you need to talk with someone privately the Samaritans offer a 24hr phone line available via 116 123.

More information will follow as we have it.

[GBM]

1B15 1248 Paddington to Carmarthen has stopped at at a green signal between Rushy Platt and Wootton Bassett Junction since 1343.
1A22 1330 Bristol to Paddington changed ends past Chippenham and now diverting towards Westbury and delaying 2M19 1419 Westbury to Swindon waiting to go on towards Melksham!

[TaplowGreen]

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:57

15:14 Swindon to Westbury due 15:57 will be started from Chippenham.
It will no longer call at Swindon.
This is due to the emergency services dealing with an incident.